Green Britain: UK’s first deep coal mine in 30 years could be stopped as council rethinks
THE first deep coal mine in the UK for more than 30 years could be axed after a furious row. Cumbria County Council, which has already agreed the plans for the site at Whitehaven, is having a rethink.
Ministers refused to intervene on the mine, which would extract coking coal for the steel industry, arguing it was a local decision. But after 70 organisations urged Boris Johnson to step in, the council said it was looking again.
Its rethink comes after it received new information on new greenhouse gas targets for the 2030s.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), which advises the Government, is demanding coking coal is curbed by 2035. The council said it received the CCC’s report in December – three months after it issued its go-ahead to mine until 2049.
Cumbrian MP and former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron tweeted: “The very fact that this application is going back to the planning committee because it might not meet the requirements of the Climate Change Act shows exactly why this mine shouldn’t be going ahead.
“The Government now need to step in, show leadership and stop this mine.”
The West Cumbria Mining plan would create 500 jobs.
The council had said the mine would cut greenhouse gases by ending US shipments of coke.